01x08 - The Great Canadians

[bunniefuu]

A mountie?

This is too weird.

What was that?

It's coming
from downstream.

First thing
we have to do
is bite into a tree.

On this episode,
we're heading north

To find out all we can
about canadian creatures--

How they eat,
how they travel,

And how they compete.

This is really starting
to bug me.

Rapids!

Coming up on
kratts' creatures.

Iarriba!

Iandale, andale!

Accessing kratts
in rain forests.

Nope. Accessing kratts
on the savanna.

Nope.

Accessing kratts underwater?

In the desert?

Traveling the globe to better
understand the creature world

Is awesome
no matter how you look at it.

Tracking the kratts
while they're doing it

Is another matter.

Accessing kratts in...

Here, al!

Hey, chris,
where are you guys?

I thought you were
in the central american
rain forests.

A slight change
of travel plans.

So where are you?

We're here in
the second largest
country in the world,

Home to some of the most
well-adapted creatures ever.

Guess what country
I'm talking about.

Second largest
country in the world?

You're not in africa.

No. Not africa,

Because africa's
a continent, not a country.

Australia, then.

Australia's
a continent
and a country.

Not australia either.
We're south of the north pole,

North of the united states.

Heads up!

Sergeant kratt of
the royal canadian
mounted police

Reporting for duty.

A mountie?

We mounties always
get our creature.

This is too weird.
Martin, what are you
doing as a mountie?

I figured
when in rome...

Or to be canadian
about it...

So, like, you're
from canada, eh?

You're kind of, like,
from the great north, eh?

Oh, please!

You guys know there's
a lot more to canada
than mountie cliches.

For one thing, it's got
just about every kind of

Terrain and creature
habitat imaginable.

A lot of people think canada

Is just about
igloos and polar bears,

But check it out--

You've got huge mountains
and open prairies.

Plus you've got
gorgeous lakes...

And thick, lush forests.

But most of all, canada's home
to some of the last bastions

Of unspoiled wilderness.

Absolutely, al!

While cruising
canada's lakes and rivers,

You can check out
wildlife habitats

That have barely changed
in hundreds of years.

The first non-native
settlers in canada

Weren't the mounties.

They were
french fur traders

Who came here
in the 1600s.

There are so many
lakes and rivers here

That the best way
to get around is by canoe.

When you get to
the end of one lake,

You just get out and
take the canoe with you,

Because odds are...

There's another
lake or a river nearby.

Carrying a canoe
on your back like this

Is called portaging,

And early settlers did it
all the time.

You know, I wonder what those
early french settlers

Thought of canada when they
first started to explore it.

Ah, martin, have
you ever seen

Such vast quantities
of wildlife

In such
a beautiful land?

So pristine,
so rich, and so cold.

Cold?

Ah, mon ami.

What is it
that you mean?

It's 85 degrees.

Now it is 85 degrees.

When we first got here,
it was 20 below.

What kind of
a crazy country is this,
my french brother?

Of course, that wasn't the only
surprise for these guys.

The big surprise
was the wildlife.

The early settlers marveled at
how these creatures could live

In hot and cold weather.

You have to be pretty adaptable
to do that,

And you have to know
a lot of survival tricks,

Like how to find food when it's
buried under 6 inches of snow...

Or what to do with
your thick winter coat of fur

When the long, hot summer
comes.

So you can't really blame
the early european explorers

For being a little surprised

When they met
these amazing creatures.

And that's who
we're here to meet--

The creatures
of the great
canadian north.

[Animal groans]

What was that?

It sounded
like a cow.

A cow?

What would a cow
be doing way out here
in the wilderness?

I don't know,
but it sounded
so familiar.

[Animal groans]

It's coming from
downstream.

Let's check it out.

Wait a sec.

I can help you guys
on this one.

All I have to do
is capture the sound,

Key it in, and record it.

In two seconds,
I'll be able to identify it.

[Animal groans]

Or maybe not.

That is one weird sound.
I don't think I can--

[Splash]

It takes one
big animal to make
a splash like that.

That's not an animal.

That's a tree!

Hey, check out
these teeth marks.

There's only one
creature who does
this to a tree.

The great
canadian beaver!

The canadian beaver
is resourceful and talented.

If you want something
built fast

And you want it
done right,

The beaver is
the creature you want to call.

Few other animals in the world
change their landscape

As much as
the canadian beaver.

He's one of the creature world's
greatest architects

And canada's
national symbol.

He creates his own ponds
by building dams with trees

He chewed down by himself,

And we're not talking
sandcastles here--

His dams get as high as 10 feet
and 100 yards across.

That's as long as
a football field.

His building skills
go even farther than that.

He also builds really long
canals to get to food

And even a house to live in,
called a lodge.

A lot of people
think of beavers

As little bucktoothed rodents
with a flair for building,

But they have much more
than just a flair.

They're also
not exactly little.

Male beavers can weigh
up to 77 pounds.

That's as heavy as
a german shepherd.

Wow!

But with a pack
of gray wolves,

A beaver can't exactly
throw his weight around.

Wolves could finish off
this tree cutter

Quicker than
you could yell "timber!"

Predators like wolves
are one of the main reasons

Beavers build dams and lodges.

This lodge is solid.

It's a fortress,

And the beavers use it
as a protection against

Wolves, bears, coyotes,
lynx, bobcat, cougars.

Any creature that
would try to harm them

Can't get to the beaver
when they're inside the lodge.

I got to admit--

Beavers are one of
the most industrious creatures,

And smart.

Ever wonder how beavers
survive during the winter?

Check this out.

Basically they stay
in the lodge all winter--

Parents, kits, and yearlings.

For food, they swim
to a small pantry

Where branches have been stored
for winter meals.

Macerating
masticators!

Those little guys
are beavers?

Those teeny-tiny
little guys?

What do you mean?

Two million years ago,
those guys were
bear-sized big sh*ts.

[Allison]
those little guys?

Sure, and they were
all over north america.

That's incredible.
Giant beavers.

[Typing]

Wait a minute.

If they were that big,
they must have used up
a lot of trees.

Descending
deciduouses!
You're not kidding!

We're talking big
pleistocene trees

Cut down by
big pleistocene
beavers,

Which meant
big dams, big ponds.

Hey, wetlands
for everyone!

Some smaller early
beaver relatives

Didn't even
live in lodges.

They lived in
burrows like these.

The tunnels were all
twisty, turny, and deep,

And when I say deep,
I'm talking 8 feet deep,

Leading to
a humongous living area
at the bottom,

Where you could
really kick back and...

What are you guys
doing?

Well, we all know that beavers
are incredible builders.

To understand how
incredible they are,

We're going
to build a lodge
like they do.

First thing
we have to do is...

Bite into a tree.

It's not easy
with human teeth.

Beavers have massive skulls

Just to house
their 3-inch incisors,

And their teeth are as efficient
as a lumberjack's a*.

Beavers cut down trees
with a simple method.

They keep biting
around the base

Until the tree is connected
by a narrow bit at the center.

It's just a matter of time
before the center gives

And...timber!

But it's hard to know
which way it's going to fall.

So if he's not careful,

The beaver may find himself
pancaked.

Since martin doesn't have
the teeth of a beaver,

He'll have to use this hatchet
to get our building supplies.

You know, instead of chopping
down living trees for this,

I think I'll take ones
that are already dead.

The average lodge
is 6 to 9 feet high

And 10 to 20 feet across.

Now we can start
actually building
the lodge.

First we have to
make a solid base

Out of sunken
poles and logs.

The lodge is usually
built in early autumn

And, if made properly,

Is sturdy enough
to be used for years.

[Allison]
once the base is down,
the beaver lays poles across it.

Then he lays brush on the inside
until the dome is reached.

Then the only thing left to do
is gnaw out the entrances

And the inner chamber.

Gnaw out
the entrances?

What do you think?

Looks pretty good
on the outside.

Let's check out
the inside.

Hey, not bad.

He even used the beaver's
patented flood-resistant design.

See, the floor has been
carefully elevated

Above the water level,

And another great
beaver lodge feature

Is the exit tunnel.

There's one last thing.

The sides of the lodge
have to be plastered with mud.

Right, martin?

Got it.

The mud fills the cracks

And hardens to form
a tough shell that
keeps predators out.

Most predators, that is,

Because there is
one creature that can
get past this defense.

Somebody
small enough

To get through
the entrances.

And that someone
is the otter.

Otters can use
the beaver's own tunnels

To get into the lodge

Where they prey on
beaver kits and yearlings.

[Allison]
it's weird to think of
these lovable little guys

As amazing predators.

They're a force to be
reckoned with.

They're known for amazing
sneak att*cks on birds, frogs,

Crayfish, and muskrats,

But they're also known for
their intelligence, agility,

And for being really playful.

Otters are so great
at catching food

That humans have even
used them to catch fish.

Otters do come up on land,
but prefer to be in the water.

Otters can stay underwater
for an amazing two minutes

Before they need
to surface for air.

[Ttark]
that's nothing, al.

In the winter,
otters can swim for miles

Under solid ice.

How can they do it?

They use the air bubbles
or open holes to get oxygen.

Pretty slick, huh?

[Animal groans]

There's that sound
again.

This is really
starting to bug me.

I'm positive I know
what that sound is.

I think it came
from down there.

I don't know.

Yeah, yeah,
that way looks good.

Let's go there.

Are you sure?

Rapids!

Rapids?
As in water rapids?

I told you
we should have gone
the other way.

Backpaddle!

Guys, what's going on?

I've got a picture,
but I can't...

This doesn't look good.

Whoo! Whoo!
That was close!

[Bird calls]

Hey, it's that sound!

This is driving me crazy.

It's driving youcrazy?
It's driving mecrazy!

I know I should be able to
identify this creature call.

[Computer beeps]

[Bird calls]

That's not it.
It's a new sound.

And it's a loon!

That's what I call one cool
canadian creature call.

The loon is one of canada's
most famous creatures.

She's known for her ability
to migrate long distances.

Some loons will migrate
from canada

To the gulf of mexico
every year,

But the loon is especially known
for her distinctive call.

Hey, that cougar's
on the prowl.

I bet he'd love to make
one of those loons lunch.

Good luck getting to them.

Loons are amazing divers.

Looks like the cougar's
got to move on.

Catching a loon isn't really
his style anyway.

Loons are well-protected
on the water,

But on land,
they're pretty hopeless.

That's why they build
their nests very close to shore.

They usually lay two eggs
that take a month to hatch.

[Loon calls]

Loons chow down on crayfish,
frogs, and aquatic insects,

And to get to them, they'll
dive down like a submarine,

As deep as 200 feet,
which isn't easy.

When it comes to diving
and swimming underwater,

The problem for all water birds

Is that they have a lot of air
in their feathers.

Loons have solved
that one, though.

They compress
their feathers

And squeeze the air out
as they submerge.

It's the same way divers use
buoyancy compensator devices.

Buoyancy compensators use air

So we can move up and down
easily underwater.

When we let the air out...

[Air hissing]

We sink.

Loon calls sound like yodels.

[Imitating loon call]

One yodel can set off a chain of
answer yodels from other loons.

[Loon calls]

Sometimes rival males
go yodel crazy.

[Imitating loon calls]

It's a way they can claim
their territory

And say to other loons,
"hey, find your own lake."

[Imitating loon calls]

[Loon calls]

Yes!

Hey, it's our canoe.
It survived the falls.

[Animal groans]

Who is making
that noise?

That noise!

Whoever it is has got to be
in that forest.

Elk hair!

After moose, elk are the largest
member of the deer family,

And they're a major part of
the canadian creature story.

Like other deer,

Elk spend a lot of time
chowing down on grass

And a large variety
of woody plants.

Only male elk have antlers,

Which they use to attract
female attention.

If they don't succeed at
getting female attention,

They may use their antlers
to challenge the bull who is.

In the summer,
antlers are pretty small

Because they're just
starting to grow.

In the fall, whoo-ee!

They're huge!

And
the bigger your antlers,

The better chance you have of
winning at head-to-head combat!

[Allison]
bull elk will antler-joust
to compete over mating rights,

But it's not as bad
as it looks.

It's really a test of strength.

Their antlers are shaped
to catch the other bull's.

It looks rough, but most of
the time, neither gets hurt.

[High-pitched screech]

An elk bugle.

But getting antlers unlocked?
That's another matter.



Now let's go.

[Elk bugling]

Another way
bull elk attract mates

Is with their bugle.

Females come to the males who
bugle the loudest and longest.

To bugle loud and long,

A bull has to be really strong
and free of disease.

By picking him,

The female helps ensure
she'll have a healthy young.

An elk's bugle is
pretty high-pitched.

[Elk bugling]

That high pitch
lets the sound travel well

Across the open areas.

[Allison]
for creatures known
for their antler jousts,

Those elk look pretty docile.

[Animal groans]

[Groan]

Black bears!

Yeah.

And one bear's wandered
into another bear's territory.

If there's one thing
that gets a bear riled up,

It's someone invading his turf.

Whoa.

For 400 pounds, that bear
sure took to that tree.

Yeah. That was enough
for the other guy.

I think he proved
his point.

Coast is clear.
Let's move out.

I have to find where
that sound's coming from.

[Animal groans]

It's got to be
around here someplace.

I know I've heard
that sound.

You might want to turn around
and check out your left.

[Animal groans]

Now I remember
who makes that sound.

A female moose!

[Moose groans]

An eligible male
might answer
this mating call

From a mile
or more away.

But he doesn't help
take care of the calves.

The mother does it alone.

Hey.

We better watch
from a distance

Because moose moms
like to be left completely alone

With their calves.

After a year, the calf
will go off on his own

And pretty much live that way
until it's time for him to mate.

Wow.

Next to bison, moose
are the largest land animals

In north america,

And they have
the largest antlers,

Weighing over 70 pounds.

Moose spend most of the year
wandering through forests

Eating bark and twigs.

That's how they got their name.

Moose in the algonquin
indian language

Means "bark stripper"
or "twig eater."

Even with their massive size,

Moose have to keep an eye out

For predators
like grizzly bears

And especially wolves, who are
the moose's major predators.

That moose mom
better watch out for cougars,

Who love to hunt moose calves.

But hunting them
wouldn't be easy.

Cougars are one of
canada's greatest hunters,

But moose cows will defend
their babies at all costs.

For my money, moose are
the greatest canadian creatures,

And they're certainly
well-known.

But you hardly ever hear about

One of the moose's
greatest abilities...

Its swimming
and diving skills!

It may be hard to believe,

But moose are great
swimmers and divers.

One of the reasons
they take to the water

Is to avoid predators,

But the main reason they do it

Is to get something
we humans take for granted--

Salt.

It's hard for
northern herbivores

To get enough salt
in their diets,

So they'll both
swim and dive deep

To get to the salty
underwater plants.

All mammals need salt.

Without it, their bodies
simply can't function.

So for a moose,
getting enough salt

Is well worth
getting their antlers wet.

This stuff is good.

No wonder a moose will dive


Meeting the great canadians
has been fantastic,

But I could use a nice,
warm, dry place right now.

Good idea. I'll meet
you back at the lodge.

Race ya!

I wonder where chris is.

I couldn't have b*at him
by that much.

I said meet back at the lodge,
didn't i?

I wonder where martin is.

He said meet back
at the lodge, didn't he?

All right.

There you are.

That will be $1.50, sir.

One loon, a caribou,

Two beavers,
five maple leafs.

Thanks a lot.

You're welcome.

That's one thing about
the great canadians--

They sure know
how to keep warm.

O.k., This time
I've really done it.

I've taken all
the creature calls we heard,

And this is going to be
the great canadian symphony.

You listening, guys?

Check out the sounds
of canada.

[Groaning, squawking, and
growling sounds accompanied
by synthesizer music]

[Growl]

That's great, al,

And we've got
the perfect ending.

Hit it, chris.

♪ O canada

♪ You're such
a beautiful country ♪

♪ With caribou
and beavers, too ♪

♪ And grizzly bears
and lots of loons ♪

♪ O canada ♪

Hey, where's
everybody going?

Maybe they prefer
maple leaf forever.

Hit it, chris.

♪ O maple leafs ♪

Hit it!

[Harmonica plays]

[Laughing]

I got that
o canadadown.

You do.